Single Publication

Pioneer Fire Update for July 11, 2024  

Incident Commander Jeff Dimke

Complex Incident Management Team Northwest 12

541-861-5808, staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov 

Start date: June 8, 2024  

Location: 31 miles northwest of Chelan, WA  

Containment: 14%  

Fire size: 12,265 acres  

Cause: Human caused, under investigation  

Total personnel: 833

A public meeting will be held today at the Golden West Visitor Center in Stehekin at 6 PM. Due to internet limitations, it will be in-person only. 

The Pioneer Fire is burning within a mountainous and remote area on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest near Lake Chelan. Firefighters are using a full suppression response in the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness to protect values at risk, life, and property, with firefighter and public safety as the primary objective. The communities of Chelan, Manson, and Stehekin are open and continue to welcome visitors. 

Strong, gusty winds from a dry frontal passage yesterday caused Meadow Creek and Prince Creek to experience heightened fire activity that produced a highly visible smoke column in the early evening. Heavy aircraft dropped 100,000 gallons yesterday, successfully extinguishing a spot fire and cooling areas of active burning. Additional medium and light helicopters flew several missions to deliver food, water, fuel, and other supplies to the firefighters in remote areas surrounding Lake Chelan while also performing reconnaissance and aerial supervision to direct air traffic. 

Firefighters have made excellent progress and continue to work building and improving fire line and contingency line to protect the community of Stehekin. Today additional hand crews, engines, and heavy equipment are on scene to continue installing hose lays, assist local cooperators with structure protection, and construct hand line. Crews have nearly completed the four-mile hose lay along the Nelson Ridge contingency line and are determining hand line placement in the challenging terrain from the ridge top down to Lake Chelan. Heavy equipment continues to improve contingency lines down-lake, clearing heavy fuels to create an effective fuel break. 

WEATHER AND SMOKE: Temperatures will drop today to the mid-90s in the valleys. High temperatures, high winds and low relative humidity are conducive to active fire behavior. The air quality outlook can be found at https://bit.ly/PioneerFireSmoke. Learn more about smoke at smokeready.org. The fire marshal issued fire danger ratings and restrictions; see https://t.ly/WLBds for more information. 

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES: Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuation levels remain in effect around the Pioneer Fire; please visit https://t.ly/QoH9w for more information. The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has a closure order in place for much of the fire area. Details and maps are available at: https://bit.ly/PioneerClosure.   A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_6779.html. 

https://linktr.ee/pioneerfirechelan